Last Call
by imapinkdinosaur
Summary: A stranger walks into Merlotte's and tells a story that impacts her listener.


The moon was full and it's light shined on the roof of Merlotte's. The neon sign pulsated into the night. The faint humming filled the empty surroundings. Cars stood outside, awaiting their masters. Merlotte's was open for business, and filled with humans laughing and enjoying their cold beers on the warm night. A blonde figure crept out of the shadows, interrupting the neon's song. Her head hung from her shoulders and she walked feebly to the main door of the bar. She touched the door handle hesitantly, as if she were unsure of her decision. After a moment, she sucked in a deep breath, and pushed open the door.

The noise filled her head like water poured into a cup. The mumblings of drunk men, and the sighs of irritated waitresses took control over her hears, silencing the neon's hum. She walked up to the bar, and shoved herself onto the top of the stool. The man behind the counter warmly smiled, his teeth gleaming and his eyes crinkling. His brown hair flopped as he strutted up to her. In a polite voice, he asked her what she wanted to drink.

She froze. The question was familiar, but she still couldn't shake the anxiety that came with it. She could choose to drink an alcoholic beverage like all the humans around her did, and pretend to be a part of their world, or she could order what she truly wanted, and risk the possibility of rejection. She took another deep breath, her second one, but not last, of the night. She answered him in a whisper, "A True Blood, please." Her voice was deep and strong, completely different from the body it inhabited.

To her surprise, the man's smile widened. He proceeded to ask her what type she would like. Not wanting to upset the man, told him he could give her whichever type was easiest for him to procure. He shook his head in disbelief. He admitted to her he had never dealt with a vampire as polite as she was. She smiled, the first time since walking through the door. She admitted to him, that this was the first time she had ever been around humans in over a hundred years.

"A hundred years, huh?" He asked as he popped the bottle into the microwave, remembering that most vampires preferred their blood warm.

"Yes." She replied, happy that the man did not reject her, but instead accepted her almost instantly.

"That's a long time. Why didn't you come out earlier?"

"I was afraid."

"Of…"

"Humans. I haven't been one for a very long time. I don't remember what it was like."

"How long have you been a vampire?"

"I was born a hundred years after the death of Christ in a small Viking village. And was reborn into a vampire twenty years after that."

"Holy shit. Is there anything you remember from your human life?"

"I remember my husband Bjorn, and my son Lief."

"What were they like?"

"Lief was my life. He was a small warrior. He liked to run around outside chasing foxes. He ever caught one once and showed me. I was so proud of him. I used to sing songs for him until he fell asleep. I watched his eyes grow heavy and listened to the sounds of him breathing. I would sleep by him to make sure he was always safe. I wanted to protect him forever."

"What about your husband?"

"He was the leader of our village. He was strong and courageous, but selfish. He thought of no one but himself. Our marriage was one of convenience, and as soon as our son was born, he never touched me. He preferred the company of other women, and to fight with men."

"So, you didn't like your husband?"

"No. I did not. But I loved my son. Always have, and always will."

"How did you turn? Or is that too rude of a question?"

"It is alright. I always forgot how curious a human is. It's nice to be reminded of this trait. There was a night raid of our village. My husband angered the vampire king by claiming that no man, mortal or immortal could defeat him. The king ordered our village to be wiped out. I saw them coming, took my son by the hand and hid in the forest. We hid there for a good while and listened to the screams of villagers. I felt like a coward, but I knew I had to protect my son. Soon, the air was quite. I looked at my son and told him to run. Run as fast as he could to the nearest village and to not come back. He ran, I saw him little legs pumping up and down as he got further and further away from me. It hurt, knowing I may never see him smiling face, never listen to him breath, never sing to him, but I knew I had done the right thing.

I wiped my tears and walked towards my village. The bodies were everywhere. They littered the ground and walls of all the homes. I saw a group of men in circle staring and something. I quietly walked up and through the legs of one of the men, I saw my husband on the ground, being fed on by a monster. The man in front of me turned around and saw my face. I did not run. I knew my time was over, that I would be dead like all the others in my village. The man in front of me smiled. However, it was not a kind smile it was sinister. He lunged and grabbed my hair in his hands. He proclaimed to all the men that I was to watch my 'leader' become one of them. I looked at my husband, weak and pale, and for the first time, I felt bad for him. For the first time I realized how truly weak he was. The monster finished his drain and proceeded to bite his wrist, and allowed Bjorn to drink. He greedily took the blood. I watched him drink as if he had been thirsty for a thousand years. When he finished he looked at me and grabbed my wrist. He pulled me down and whispered in my ear. He told me he was sorry and that he should not have married me.

With those words he transformed into the same monster that attacked him. He was no longer my husband, but a creature with the same face. His eyes were empty, but they still sparkled in the moonlight. He looked at me with amusement on his face. Then without warning he attacked like a fox. With every passing second, I grew weaker as he drank from me. I could not fight him; he was so powerful and so strong. After an eternity and hand grabbed Bjorn's shoulder and pulled him away, and I laid there, cold and weak. The monster looked at me and to my husband. He asked my husband who I was, and Bjorn answered him, with a snarl, that I was his wife, the person he loathed most. The monster smirked and ordered Bjorn to feed me. I knew why he wanted me to turn as well, the bond between me and Bjorn would be unbreakable, and he would suffer a life with the woman he hated most."

The lady wiped the bloody tears from her eyes. The bartender stood there in shock at her story.

"I thought you said he apologized for mistreating you."

"That was the human in him. It was no longer there when he turned. His arrogance and selfishness were all that remained."

"How long did you stay with your husband after that?"

"One thousand three hundred years."

"That's a long time. Why?"

"I didn't know what else to do. I had lived my human life through my son, and since he was gone, I lived my vampire life through my husband."

"What happened to your son?"

"He died when he was fifteen. There was a plague that spread through the other village."

"I'm sorry."

"It was alright. I never saw him after I told him to run. It was easier for him to believe I was dead."

There was a quiet pause as the man thought over what the woman had told him. The noises of the bar that usually put him in a good mood seem to drain him of energy. He asked her another question:

"Why are you here?"

"I want to meet the sun in a warm place, this seems to be the perfect place."

"I don't understand, why now? Why today?"

"Because, I never wanted to be a vampire, and today I turn 1913. I have lived for many years in shame and in fear, in the dark. I have been too lonely and I wish to see my son again. I want feel the warmth of the sun and the beauty of a sunrise."

The bartender looked at the woman. He saw the sadness in her eyes, and the determination in her jaw. He was in awe of this woman's story. For the first time in his life, he felt sad for a vampire, yet he respected her. He took a deep breath and asked the question that had been plaguing his mind for the last minute, "May I see the sunrise with you? There's nothing worse than dying alone."

"I would like that very much." Said the lady with a bright smile. A smile of which had not been on her face for many years. The man walked around the bar and up to the woman.

The man extended his hand, and grabbed hers. "My name is Sam Merlotte." He continued to hold her hand, determined not to let go until there was nothing left to hold.

"Mine is Freya." She held tightly onto his hand. They both walked outside. Sam strolled with the lady, tears in his eyes. He did want Freya to meet the sun, but knew that it was better to support her in a way that no one else had done before. They walked until they reached the top of a small hill, and they both sat on top of it. They sat in silence, waiting for the sun to arise. Sam finally spoke to the woman:

"What's something you've always wanted but never had?"

"A friend."

"Well, then, now you finally have one."

They sat together hand in hand as the sky turned a purple hue with the rising sun. Soon the sky began to turn orange, and Sam turned to ask Freya one last question, "Is it everything you ever dreamed?"

"Yes and more. Thank you." She closed her eyes and let the sunlight stream onto her face. Although it burned her, she smiled and Sam continued to hold her hand.

Soon, Freya had gone and Sam was left with nothing but ashes. The tears that had collected in his eyes fell as he walked back to the bar. He opened the door to his bar and walked back behind the counter to start cleaning. As he cleaned he saw a bar napkin with a message on it.

"Thank you my dear friend. –Freya." Sam sadly smiled and tucked the napkin in his pocket, and turned off the "OPEN" sign. A new day had started and everything was the same, except for Sam.


End file.
